Friday, December 18, 2015

Let's say a child is born with a fatal congenital disease for which there is no cure. Because he was born with it, the condition is not his fault. Therefore, the fact that he has the disease and will die from it cannot be held against him. Let's also say that years later a cure is discovered and the child, now a man, can receive the medicine for free. He still, however, has to choose to take the medicine. If he takes it, he will be cured, and, therefore, live longer. And if he does not choose to take the medicine, he will continue with the disease and eventually die. Can he still blame his parents for the disease and dying from it? No. After his rejection of the medicine, he can only blame himself. There is no cure for rejecting the treatment.

In Numbers 21: 5 - 9, we read that the people of Israel murmured against God, and, therefore, God allowed the serpents to bite them. God had given the people manna. But, they did not appreciate this food of the angels; instead, becoming bored with it, they despised it. So the Lord allowed the venomous snakes to slither into the camp and bite the people. As long as they had been filled with faith he was able to protect them from the designs of the evil one. But as the people murmured against God, their rebellious attitude ripened, and so did their disrespect of Moses and God. Consequently, God had to remove his hand of protection at his people's insistence, and they were bitten. Everywhere could be heard the cries of the stricken ones. Almost all of the households were touched, and the numbers of the dead mounted. As the people were suffering and dying, many longed for relief. At last, realizing the connection between the snakes and their Sin, they requested Moses to pray for deliverance. God did answer, and he told Moses to build a brazen serpent, put it on a pole, and have the bitten ones look and live. Those who heeded looked and were healed.

In God's providence, He did not get rid of the serpents, and neither did he prevent them from attacking the people. Instead, he encouraged the people to exercise faith. The issue was: would they believe that in looking at the brazen serpent, they would live?

The brazen serpent was placed high on a pole for all of the people in the camp to see. But, only those who looked when bitten would be delivered. Did any of the people deserve the cure? No, not one person in the camp deserved deliverance (Romans 3:10 – 12). But God, in His love and mercy not only allowed the people to have what they insisted on, the distance they desired of him as demonstrated by their murmuring and complaining, which brought the snakes, He even provided them with the cure. This gesture toward them displayed not only God's mercy by not giving them what they deserved, but it manifested his grace by giving them the power to overcome their unbelief. Furthermore, if they took him at his word, it energized them physically to overcome the effects of the poison.Now, just because God gave this opportunity or gift to all, did not mean that God spared all bitten by snakes from the effects of the poison. He wanted to, but those who chose not to believe, just would not look; and not looking, meant certain death. Unfortunately, there was no grace for this. There was no remedy for rejecting the solution. And the same applies today -- those who dismiss the grace that can save them, will find that there is no grace for rejecting the grace. Grace, as we see, has limits.

The lesson's author states something similar regarding the Jews in Jeremiah's time. Generations later they had not learned their lesson. Our Lesson states:"This week's lesson brings us toward the end of the saga of Jeremiah the prophet. However, this is not a "…and they lived happily ever after" ending. In a sense, one could summarize this week's study, and even a good portion of the book of Jeremiah, by saying that what we see here is an example of the limits of grace. That is, grace will not save those who utterly refuse to accept it. No matter how much the Lord spoke to them, sending them salvation, protection, redemption, peace, and prosperity, all but a tiny and faithful remnant scorned and rebuffed God's gift. …Even after everything Jeremiah warned about came to pass, the people still clung to their sins and paganism and rebellion, openly defying the Prophet to his face and scorning the Word of the Lord to them.How we need to be careful ourselves. Grace is grace because it's favor and power given to the undeserving, yes; but it's not forced on anyone. All must be willing to receive it for themselves.

Just as grace is a gift to all, but only useful to those who receive it; grace does not cover all Sin. Some may get the impression from Romans 5:20 through 6:2 that grace covers all sin. But that is not the case, for the passage says,

"Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 5:20, 21). "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom 6:1, 2).

Those who are of the belief that the more they sin, the more grace abounds - if they continue in that path - forget that eventually they will commit the unpardonable Sin. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 12:31, 32--

"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come" (Mathew 12:32, 32).

The sin spoken of in the verse is the final rejection of God's wooing to you.Blasphemy is committed at the point where the heart has barricaded its door against the Holy Spirit's invitation to intimacy with God, and repentance is steadfastly refused. Christ died to save us from our Sin, but grace beaten back for the last time will not abound, at the sinners' insistence. Thus, the rejected grace can not save. Oh, it's so important to trust willingly and heed the promptings of God's Spirit, for he would not have us die, for the cure has already been provided.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Driving Eastbound on I-94 in Chicago (it is southbound in Chicago) the road splits. It is what some call a fork in the road. I-94 continues to the left (eastbound), and I-57 continues to the South. There are signs warning of the split a mile or two before by also suggesting possible destinations to which each route will take you. Depending on where you are going you will go right or left. There is no reason anyone should go in the wrong direction. But, some manage just that. Taking one route means not taking the other; which means that if you take the wrong route, you will gradually go farther off the your intended destination. The farther you go on the wrong road it will probably be longer and harder to get back on track.

At Sinai, the Israelites came to a spiritual fork in the road (Exodus 19 and 20). They had had to choose which spiritual road to take. Their issue was not that they did not want to go where God intended to take them. They thought they could get there by going on the road of their choosing and not God's intended road. They sincerely thought their chosen road could take them there. So, they deviated from God's road and took the other.

Abraham had a similar experience of a spiritual fork in the road. Like the Israelites later, it was not that Abraham did not want what God promised him. Abraham thought he could get there following a road of his choosing. Abraham thought that he could fulfill God's promise to him, by performing methods not suggested nor approved by God. Thus, Abraham conceived a child with Hagar (Genesis 16: 4). Once Abraham went down that road, it would take years of hardship to get back on track. God's idea and intention were that Abraham conceived with Sarah (Genesis 17: 16, 19).

According to Paul, this event was symbolic of the Old Covenant. When Abraham finally had a child with Sarah, it was the new covenant. Let us read Galatians 4:22-26,

Galatians 4: 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

Galatians 4: 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Galatians 4: 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Galatians 4: 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Galatians 4: 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

In this verse, Paul ties Hagar with Sinai. In other words, the Old Covenant that Abraham followed by conceiving with Hagar is what the Israelites followed in Sinai. A covenant the Jews continued to follow even on to the day of Paul. While, Abraham eventually, after years of hardship found God's road again, the majority of Israelites and Jews never found God's road again.

What road have we taken: The Old Covenant or the New Covenant? It is important to know that a misunderstanding of the Covenants can lead you to the wrong road. Many Christians have what is called a dispensational view of the Covenants. To them, the Old Covenant is a road that failed to take them to their destination so then they tried another road, which is the new Covenant. The Covenants to them is a matter of time, not a heart relationship with God. To them from Sinai to Jesus people were saved by keeping the Law and the ceremonies of the Sanctuary. According to this view, this method failed, so God then instituted the new method that is saved by grace. Paul has argued successfully in Galatians that this is not true. Paul's example of Abraham being under both covenants at different times in his life shows us that dispensation is wrong. Especially, when we know what Abraham was going through at each of these stages. Abraham's unbelief led to the Old Covenant. When Abraham believed, He was under the new covenant.

Paul's argument also stands against Mainline Adventism view in the Covenants. Adventists are not quite dispensational. They believe that it is only one Covenant. To them, the Covenant is one road, which at different points has different scenery and even a different name, but it is the same road, nonetheless. From Sinai to Jesus the covenant was to be understood and practiced by following types, forms, and symbols of the ceremonial law; this is the old covenant. Since, the ceremonial law pointed to Jesus, when Jesus came, type met antitype, and thus Christ fulfills the ceremonial law. After Christ's death, the Old Covenant fulfilled its purpose of revealing the new Covenant, so, it is no longer relevant. But, how can the Old Covenant be the Sanctuary and its services, if according to Paul 430 years before the sanctuary service began, Abraham was under the Old Covenant?

Now, although the Adventist view is different from the dispensational, it is similar in that they both believe the Old Covenant is passed. We need to reiterate, they are two different covenants. And, each covenant is a different method of salvation. Each covenant is a different attitude toward God and the Gospel. As the author of the Lesson tells us, "The two covenants are not matters of time; instead, they are reflective of human attitudes." One of my favorite authors states, "These two covenants exist today. The two covenants are not matters of time, but of condition. Let no one flatter himself that he cannot be bound under the old covenant, thinking that its time has passed."

The basis for The Covenants is how our heart relates to God. The New Covenant is for God to fulfill His promises to us; we are just to receive them humbly and gratefully. In the New Covenant God dwells in our hearts and there writes His law (Jeremiah 31:33). In the New Covenant, we abide in Christ and Christ in us (John 5). In the New Covenant, He becomes our God and us His people (Ezekiel 37: 23, 27). In the New Covenant, we become His royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). In the New Covenant God bestows on us His inheritance: eternal life in the new earth. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1)!

Friday, December 04, 2015

David was once driving his car. He started to switch the dial of his car radio. When he heard his favorite rock song, David stopped changing stations. As he typically did, he started singing the song along with the recording. But, unlike the previous time, after a few seconds he smelled fire. He looked down at the dashboard, and he saw flames coming from the radio. He stopped the car and tried to put out the fire, but to no avail. Interestingly, only the radio burned. The rest of the dashboard was intact. When David got home, he immediately told his wife. Her reaction surprised him. Calmly she said to him, "I am glad you are OK." He looked puzzled; he asked her, "why are you so calm?" She smiled and replied, "I was concerned that your interest in that secular music would drive you away from God, so I prayed to Him that He would burn the radio." Surprised he asked, "Why would you do that?" She replied, "I love you, honey, I want you to be saved." David never fixed the radio. He understood that God was more important than that. God allow the radio to burn to save David.

Has God done anything like that for you? Do we see in the Bible how God has done that to the Jews? We could argue that that was a reason for the Babylonian captivity. Just like a parent chastens a child who misbehaves, God chastens those whom He loves. God used the Babylonian captivity to teach the Jews a lesson in humility; and, to teach them to be dependent on Him.

Years before Moses warned the Israelites about being unfaithful. Through Moses, the Lord declared in Deuteronomy 28,

Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day…

Deuteronomy 28:36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone….

Deuteronomy 28:64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone…

Those who were faithful to God saw this as a rebuke from God. Not necessarily as punishment, cut, as the chastening of a beloved child. Paul says in Hebrews,

Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Ellen White elaborates on this topic. Let us read what she says,

"The trials of life are God's workmen, to remove the impurities and roughness from our character. Their hewing, squaring, and chiseling, their burnishing and polishing, is a painful process; it is hard to be pressed down to the grinding wheel. But the stone is brought forth prepared to fill its place in the heavenly temple. Upon no useless material does the Master bestow such careful, thorough work. Only His precious stones are polished after the similitude of a palace."—Ellen G. White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 10.

In the story above, the Lord allowed David's radio to burn, because the Lord loved David. The Lord allowed the Babylonian captivity because He loved the Jews. He used it to develop their character. Had this not been the case He would not have told Jeremiah,

Jeremiah 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

These words can apply to us. Let us not resist the Lord's chastening. He has a purpose for it. And, it is for our good.